


Well Aware

by lookoutlovers22



Series: Well Aware: The Miniseries [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Muggle, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Draco Malfoy in the Muggle World, Drunk Draco Malfoy, F/M, Fluff, Idiots in Love, It's just a whole load of fluff really, Lucius Malfoy approves, Minor Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, One-Shot, Pining Draco Malfoy, Short-tempered Hermione Granger, Snarky Pansy Parkinson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23908696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookoutlovers22/pseuds/lookoutlovers22
Summary: Draco Malfoy was being an insufferable prat to Hermione Granger. Pansy tells him that this is not the way to Hermione's heart.Also known as the non-magical AU where Draco's too cowardly to ask Hermione Granger out outright.Non-magical AU. Originally posted on Wattpad by me (draconstitution)
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Pansy Parkinson, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Series: Well Aware: The Miniseries [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1724506
Comments: 5
Kudos: 62





	Well Aware

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think it's very good, so please feel free to give me some constructive criticism. Thank you very much!
> 
> EDIT! November 6, 2020:
> 
> I have decided to edit this story!
> 
> So a couple of weeks ago, I was scrolling through my old fics - as a I do, because I'm kind of a narcissist and it's kind of a problem. And then I came across this, the first fic I have ever posted on AO3 and reread it. I don't think it's horrible, per se, but I do think that it could be improved.
> 
> So I went about editing it on the version I posted on WattPad and it ended up morphing into a whole other story. So yes, an alternative version.
> 
> And though I doubt anybody even cares about this story as much as I do, I'm glad to the ones that have read it. Thank you all so much, stay safe and take care! <3
> 
> \- Emma (Rya)

Draco was not being subtle about the way he was staring at Hermione at all. Although, one can say that _that_ isn't obvious to Draco himself.

"One would think that you're trying to get her to combust, staring at her like that." says Pansy. "My advice is that you go talk to her."

Draco shifts his gaze to Pansy, blinks twice and then groans inwardly. She just rolls her eyes, and he resists the urge to retaliate. Be himself? What kind of joke is she on about? He detaches his hand from his chin, and his elbow moves itself from the table to his chest. He crosses his arms and scowls, making his displeasure clear.

Pansy pointedly ignores the fact that his spoiled brat was showing and takes a sip of her sickly sweet sugary coffee concoction, one that Draco would never admit to craving, and fixes her bangs.

"And surely you would know how to woe her?" Draco all but sneers. "Besides, she's not like—" he inhales "—She's not exactly like most girls."

"Which is exactly why she won't like your pretentious bravado." says Pansy. "And seriously, 'not like other girls?' I didn't take you for the shitty Wattpad story type." 

"I like to think that this is a serious matter but since you're clearly only here to take the piss—"

"Look, you're smart and witty and attractive—" intercepts Pansy. "I would shag you if I was into guys—and she'll probably like you."

"Oh Pansy, if she liked me she would've said so already. She isn't exactly one to play games." says Draco as he slouches further into his chair. "Besides, father wouldn't approve."

"Since when did you care if your father approved or not?" asks Pansy. "Last time I checked you were on good terms."

"We are in good terms, I'm just—"

"Approval starved? Just looking for excuses so you wouldn't have to deal with the fear or rejection?"

"Rejection from my father?" Draco scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I was thinking more along the lines of rejection from Hermione Granger, but whatever floats your damn boat."

Draco doesn't reply and instead thinks about the conversation he'd had with his father on the phone where he so candidly asked if any girls has caught his eye in university, and how his _darling Granger_ was doing.

He was absolutely mortified. No way was his crush _that_ obvious.

So what his father was confused as to why he wasn't courting Hermione yet? So what if he approved? So what if he told Draco that he should just go for it and ask her out already? So what if Pansy was right and he was just obsessing over not wanting to get rejected?

Whatever.

Draco's gaze shifts back unto Hermione, who has now received her black coffee. The pen falls from her grasp as the disgustingly handsome waiter smiles at her while fixing his glasses. Draco wasn't blind, he'd known they were friends. Seen them around a lot actually, they went to Exeter as well. Jealousy still stirs in his stomach as said disgustingly waiter ruffles Hermione's already atrocious hair as the glasses slip from his nose. The boy's hands slide the offending item back on the top of his nose and Draco visibly inhales. His _hands_.

God, that boy had nice hands.

Pansy notices this and snickers into her coffee cup. "Seriously trying to shag the waiter now as well?" said she, and Draco slouches into his chair even more, arse almost falling off the edge.

"It's not fair. They're both so attractive." Draco mumbles, sniffling. Taking a sip of his disgu—delicious! Delicious and _tasteful_ black coffee, the waiter passes their table and Draco gets a view of his glorious arse. Pansy audibly sighs, and Draco snaps his eyes back to her.

"You're right. He is hot, God. Did you see his arse? God, Jesus fuck." Pansy moans. "Yes, holy shit."

Draco sniggers at his friend who has turned into a puddle of mush. So what if he was trying to shag the waiter now as well? It wasn't any of her bloody business unless he made it so. "If you excuse me, I have something to attend to." says Draco as he straightens up in his chair.

"You're going to fuck the waiter?" Pansy hisses as Draco stands up and runs his hand through his unnaturally blonde hair. _It's got a curl to it now,_ Draco's inner voice says. _Side effect of staring at Granger’s luscious curls._

Draco only winks at her, and she actually shrieks with glee, the little bitch. She fixes the maroon spaghetti strap of the dress that she's wearing and straightens up her leather jacket whilst shooing Draco away.

"Thank God you're a conceited ass. I always get a good show." says Pansy.

"I'm only a little bit conceited." Draco says as he walks over to the handsome waiter. He leans into the waiter’s ear, and Pansy watches as the waiter shifts from one foot to the other, a blush and a smirk lacing his features. They exit through the back, and then Pansy smiles and sighs.

"Oh, young love." She says.

Hermione takes note of their exit, and sips her coffee with squinted eyes. _Damn Potter,_ she thinks. _Damn him for conspiring with the enemy._

The next day at the cafe, Potter is visibly wincing with every step he takes. Well, visible to Draco, Pansy, and Hermione anyway. Hermione giggles—actually fucking giggles—and makes Draco inhale sharply and almost choke on his coffee. Potter walks over to her table with her coffee again, still wincing, and Draco inwardly groans.

"It didn't work! She's not jealous." Draco mumbles. Pansy actually absolutely _howls_ with laughter as he once again stares at her longingly as she shifts her concentration from her coffee to her History of Psychology homework. She seems very sexily focused.

Why can't she be sexily focused on him?

Pansy pants as she stops laughing. "You—Potter—oh my God!" and she starts laughing again as Draco scowls at her. "I'm sor—ry it's just—you—" she laughs again. "You fucked Potter—to get—to get Granger—to—to make her jealous?—God!"

Neither of them notice that Granger was now looking at them with a murderous glint in her eye, and that some customers are leaving the cafe.

"He was a good fuck." Draco says mournfully. "Excellent, but I'm not gonna fuck him again for the reason that he's fucking insatiable."

"Insatiable?" Pansy laughs again.

"I think his ass ate part of my dick." Draco groans, and sighs.

"Your dick is rather large so I don't see the—" Pansy stops talking as Granger walks over to their table with a pointed look of madness, messy hair flying everywhere. “Uh-oh...”

"Will you both _please shut the fuck up_?" Hermione says. Pansy smirks while Draco visibly gulps in fear. "I haven't got a word of studying in since the pair of you came in here and you two have been scaring the customers off! If you two don't shut up I'm gonna ask Harry to kick you out!"

Hermione gives them both a menacing glare. "Oh, but surely Harry wouldn't do that. I think Harry owes dear Draco here a favor." Pansy smirks right at Hermione's death stare.

"Harry doesn't do _favors_ , Parkinson." Hermione sneers.

"Well Granger, if you weren't so busy eavesdropping, maybe you would've learned that this is a cafe, not a library."

Draco is shocked he could talk at all.

At first, she just appears affronted. Then she looks offended for a few seconds, until she finally settles on the most murderous expression Draco has ever seen. He feels a twitching in his pants, and squashes the thought that she’s overreacting just a little bit.

With one last menacing glare, Hermione stalks off and leaves the cafe to do her work elsewhere. Draco slumps into his chair and mutters, "She's so hot when she's mad."

**OOO**

Draco had classes the next morning, and as he and Hermione were taking the same course, they saw a lot of each other. He was absolutely determined and made it his mission to find her and apologize for being such a twat. Not that he usually apologized, but it's Hermione and he actually thinks she deserves his apology. Even if he doesn't really mean it. It wasn’t his fault that she was eavesdropping.

After their shared Sociology lecture, Draco hurriedly packs his things into his ugly bag and fixes his hair while he catches up to Hermione. So much was his rush that when he finally reached Hermione, his feet skid on the floor and he struggled for his balance and ultimately tripped unto her back.

Thank God he didn't actually trip her _over_ , as that would've been mortifying—maybe even life-threatening as he might've died due to the embarrassment. Not that this wasn't already embarrassing as it is.

"What the fuck, Malfoy?" Hermione says as she turns around. She points a finger to his chest and he visibly gulps. "Do you usually go around shoving people?"

Draco scowls and crosses his arms, feeling defensive. He did not _shove_ her! He was not _that_ clueless _._

"It was an _accident,_ Granger. I was actually trying to catch up with you as I was going to—" Draco growls. "Never fucking mind that, okay. Forget it!"

"You were going to what?" asks Hermione. "Shove me harder so I _actually_ trip this time?"

"Don't tempt me, I just might." he says back. "You deserve it for being an eavesdropping bitch!"

It wasn't his fault that Hermione apparently liked to eavesdrop on his and Pansy's conversations about his many conquests. And no, it wasn't his fault that he and Pansy always made sure to go to the cafe when she was around. No, it was simply mere coincidence.

Hermione looks like she actually might just blow up. She is actually thrumming with anger. "You bloody fucking arsehole!" She says as she shoves him hard across the chest. Okay, this was so _not_ how it was supposed to go.

"Okay, stop it!" says Draco as he takes hold of Hermione's wrists. "Stop trying to get me to topple over, Granger."

"I will do what I damn well please!" says Hermione, but the overall effect was not as convicting as she would have liked it to be because Draco Malfoy was still holding her damn wrists in his inhumanly strong hands. "Let go of me!"

"I am here to apologize!"

Hermione almosts believes it when he says it like that. Oh, how anger brings out people's honesty and whatnot. But what she also knows is that Draco is the snobbiest of all the snobs and that he was probably not trying to apologize.

"I'll believe you when you actually get some manners and stop talking about your sexual conquests in public spaces!"

"I do try to be quieter, but Pansy truly does bring out the worst in me."

"It's hardly her fault that you're an insufferable prat with no filter." Hermione says. "I don't see the need to apologize for something you _apparently have no control over!_ "

"I don't feel the need for you to _eavesdrop_ too but I don't see _you_ apologizing, you angry chicken!"

"Chicken? What—ugh! You are so infuriating Malfoy! Fine, I accept your bloody apology now _go away_!"

She most definitely does not accepts Draco's apology. Her mind berates her for letting her jealousy cloud her logic, and the logical thing to do would be to forgive Draco Malfoy.

"Look, I'm sorry okay?" says Draco when he senses that Hermione is still angry with him. She finally finds a way to wrench her arms away from his searing grip, "And as compensation I shall try to find a way for Pansy to shush down—" Hermione is appalled that he still has the gall to reject accountability, "and buy you free coffee later tonight."

"And why would I let you?" asks Hermione. "And how are you so sure that I'll even be at the cafe later?"

"Because you live off coffee, Granger. And also because you're always there." Distantly, Draco thinks about how he has her coffee schedule memorized.

Hermione is actually silent for once, biting her lip. Draco thinks that he can see her trying to come up with ways on how to reject him slowly and painfully, and the unwelcome memory of Pansy tactlessly pointing out his fear of rejection yesterday.

"One coffee. And then you leave me alone."

Leave her alone? He won’t do it but he still says, "Okay. And then you can be on your merry way." He smirks, "Or maybe we'll end up being the best of chums, who knows?"

"Just because Harry was so quickly enamored by you doesn't mean you're going to get the same effect from me." Hermione scoffs. "But in any case, free coffee sounds good."

Dammit, Hermione thinks. He bribed me with free coffee!

Draco actually lights up and hugs her, which, at this point, Hermione is too weak to retaliate. Damn Draco and his cuteness and hotness and oh my God his hand is on my back I might melt.

Draco takes this as a win. He also cannot believe that he hugged her. And that she let him get away with it.

He flashes her a half smile. "Meet you at the coffee shop later then!" Draco says.

Hermione really doesn't mind that he hasn't told her when to show up, mainly because she knows when Draco's gonna be there. She does, after all, know when he’s going to be there. She especially loves it when Draco stares at her like he wants her to go ablaze.

"Pansy, oh my God guess what?" Draco says as he sits down across from her. Pansy takes one long look at Draco and breaks into a smile.

"You finally realized I was right and that you should be yourself around Granger?" Pansy says and takes a sip of her sugary drink. Draco's eye kind of twitches. "That would be good news."

"No! Hermione agreed to meet me here so I can buy her a drink." Draco says.

Pansy actually eyes Draco. No way Granger was so lenient on spending time with Draco. Although, the prospect of free coffee _is_ hard to resist. So she merely shrugs and takes another sip of her coffee.

The cafe door opens and in comes Hermione with a ginger haired guy who has his arm around Hermione. Seriously? Was the world conspiring against him or something?

They sit down at a table and Draco actually has to physically restrain himself from crying out. "Pansy! Who the hell is that?"

Pansy chuckles at him and shrugs, "It seems like Hermione has a few admirers other than yourself. And it also seems that even with my—" she actually has the nerve to sigh dramatically, the cheeky bastard, "—taxing social life, I do not, for the life of me, know who that guy is."

"Then he's probably unimportant. I'll just be extremely hostile and hope he goes away."

"What?" And then, to Pansy's horror, he is walking towards their table.

Draco usually isn't the type to go all in your face and stuff, he was raised better than that. He is also a spoiled brat, though, and Hermione is just pushing _all_ of his buttons today.

"He your boyfriend, Granger?" Draco hisses. "Pretty daft-looking for the likes of you. I thought you would someone with a bit more braincells."

Big, meaty and red's eyes flash with anger as he looks down at Draco who was still sitting down. He raises an eyebrow and gives him a death stare. Draco would actually be scared if he wasn't do damn annoyed at not getting his way all day. "And who the fuck do you think you are?"

Draco stands up and straightens out his black blazer and stares meaty red riding hood in the eyes. "Draco Malfoy, you git." His eyebrows raise in question at Hermione, who looks rather put out at all this mess. "And who are you?"

"Ron Weasley. And no, I'm not her boyfriend, but I also know that you're the git who's been causing her some trouble." Red rooster stares him dead in the eyes, "I won't hesitate to put you in your place, blondie."

"It's going to take a lot more to scare me, little red." And the bastard actually rolls his eyes. "Stop staring at me so intensely, I might think that you're trying to get into my pants."

Pansy snickers into her coffee cup and Hermione gives her an incredulous look and cocks her head towards the two of them. "Are you not gonna break this up?" She says. Pansy shrugs.

"Shouldn't have brought Weasley with you." Pansy sighs. "I didn't know it was mating season, but I guess I've just spotted two male humans fighting for the..." she actually side eyes Hermione and before she has the time to feel affronted she adds, "...rare acceptable human.

 _Rare a_ _cceptable human?_ Under normal circumstances, Hermione would probably take it as an insult but coming from Pansy Parkinson, she'll take it.

Hermione shakes her head, she was missing the point. "What's that supposed to mean?" She says.

"The professors don't set you as an example for nothing, Granger. You can't possibly be _that_ dim." Pansy remarked.

Hermione was going to say something when she looked once at the boys and Ron looked like he was probably gonna beat Draco to a pulp. And judging by Draco's body, he was going to easily get pummeled to the ground. Beaten into a singularity. Pulverized. Killed.

"Okay that's quite enough. If you're really so curious as to why I brought Ron, he's actually one of my students that I tutor." Hermione said and rolled her eyes. Honestly, why did it even matter so much?

"Didn't think you would be fraternizing with the dimwitted Granger." Draco raised a brow as he stared straight into Hermione's eyes with his own steely gaze. Like literally, his gaze was steely. He had silver eyes.

"I am not fraternizing with Ron! He's basically my brother, that's gross." Hermione shakes her head and puts her hand on Ron's shoulder "Just—" she inhales deeply and pinches her nose with her other hand "—please sit down first Ron, whilst I buy coffee."

With one last annoyed look at Draco, he stalks off to find a new seat roomy enough to study at. Hermione flashes Draco a dangerous look and absolutely bristles with anger. "What the fuck, Malfoy?"

Draco is now bitter and scowling at Hermione, daggers shooting out of his irises. How dare she bring a conquest along with her? And how dare she make him feel embittered and jealous, the beautiful git. Amazingly sexy asswipe. Deranged attractive person. How dare she? And after he offered her _free coffee_?

Her moral compass is truly outstanding, helping the less intellectually endowed even though he insinuated that they would be _hanging out_ or whatever over coffee and they could be studying and Draco has definitely daydreamed about study dates with Hermione Granger and she just totally ruined his chance of getting that with her.

Of course, she doesn't know that.

"You seriously cannot be _that_ dim Granger." He sneers and shakes his head, walking away.

"I am _not_ dim!" Hermione screeches. Behind her, Pansy collects her things and stands up, places the cup she so hurriedly emptied onto its saucer and shakes her head as she catches up with Draco who has now walked out the door after speaking with the barista—who was not Potter, much to his dismay—but not before saying, "Kinda are, Granger."

Later that night, Hermione receives her cup of coffee just how she likes it—black with two sugars, and it wasn't that she didn't want it or anything, so she accepts it.

It was just that she didn't remember ordering.

**OOO**

Draco has been sulking ever since the cafe incident. It was nothing really, he just felt a splitting sensation in his chest and was _not_ in the mood to do anything but sleep at home. But alas, he needed to write an essay for History of Psychology, one of the classes he had with Hermione.

Pansy called him earlier during the day, saying that she had a gig coming up at eight in the evening and couldn't meet up with him later at the cafe. So Draco took this as an opportunity to go to the library and get an early start to his work. Much to his great dismay, he could not possibly brood in the library today. No, he couldn't possibly just brood as Hermione fucking Granger was in the library as well.

Grumbling, Draco sits at a table at the opposite side of the library. He hums a tune as he does his work.

And then Hermione struts to his table.

Draco is alarmed and fiddles with his pen as he purposefully ignores her and starts to concentrate on his notes. No, he isn't thinking about the fact that she looks absolutely hot when she's mad. Of course not.

"I think we need to talk." Hermione says as she pokes arm. Draco hums in agreement and faces her as if he isn't fazed by her imminent beauty.

"Yes, I think we do." And then he smirks. "But I also happen to think that I don't want to do that right now."

"Don't be such an arse." She puts her stuff down on his table and sits down. With him. At his table. Draco is about ready to have a heart attack.

"Wha-"

"I'm sitting down with you. To study. Obviously."

"-at the fuck?" Draco shakes his head. "What kind of elaborate scheme is this?"

"Who said anything about a scheme?"

"Why are you sitting down with me?"

"This is a library. I don't think we're supposed to talk."

Draco snaps his mouth shut and rolls his eyes, and his brain screams _God she's so hot_.

Over the course of an hour, they are both completely silent. Draco catches Hermione looking at him more than once and says, "Hermione, I know I'm very handsome, but I would appreciate it if you just announced your infatuation with me instead of staring at me like you want me to combust."

Hermione looks taken aback, but she also rolls her eyes. "I could say the same thing for you."

"I don't stare, 'Mione. I longingly gaze."

"Huh?" Hermione says and turns a dark shade of red.

"An intelligent person needn't be told twice."

As Draco has no classes the next day, he gets pissed at Pansy's gig, which so conveniently had an open bar. Maybe, Draco thinks distantly, it's because they want to distract the audience from their godawful music.

When they finish their set, Pansy goes stalking up to Draco and shakes him vigorously. Draco gulps and shakes his head.

"Nononono..." he mutters and continues shaking his head. "Pans no, me no want dizz-dizz."

"God you're hammered. Let's get you home." She says.

"No, I wanna finish uni. Don—" he starts sobbing. "No Pans—don't send me back to the Manor please nononono wanna—" hiccup "—finish uni!"

"I meant to your apartment."

Draco almost threw up twice during the car ride home. Half of it had to do with Pansy's driving, and the other half had to do with the five martinis he drunk. Vodka martinis. Yeah, he knows thank you very much.

"—and so I said—" Draco was feeling the full effects of the alcohol as Pansy dumped him unto his couch. "—what the fuck? Y'know because she was sitting with me. With me, Pansy! Reckon she likes me?"

"Reckon she doesn't." Pansy mutters. Draco starts crying again.

"She does! Totally loves me. Pans—why doesn't she love me Pans?" Draco sobs and flails his arms around. "Surely she loves me. She sat with me at the library today!"

Pansy huffs at the arm that flung to her arm. Really, the last time Draco got this pissed was the first year of university. She thought he would've learned his lesson by then.

"Draco, shut up or she'll hear you crying." Pansy says as she closes the door to the hallway. "She lives across from you after all."

"She does? I'll just confess my love to her now. While I'm drunk. So I can forget about it tomorrow!" Draco claps his hands and he stands up. "Perfect really!"

Pansy sees no reason to stop him. She does enjoy a good show after all. Really, she isn't a bad friend, she knows how this will pan out. The odds are with Draco for this one.

Draco knocks on Hermione's doorstep ten times before she opens the door, hair wild and rubbing her eyes. Why the fuck would anyone want to see her at 10 in the eveni—of course it's Draco, literally _oh my God_ who else could it be?

"Hell—"

"Hermione, I love you lots." Draco proclaims as he wobbles on his knees. "Love you lots and lots. Many lots, acres, hectares. Cubic miles, even. And I would like it if you would like me back please—" Draco trips, falls on his bum, mumbles a quiet _sleep sleep_ and falls asleep in the middle of the hallway.

Pansy giggles and carries Draco to the couch with superhuman strength, Hermione following behind her. She's never seen Malfoy quite this drunk before. To say she's amused is an understatement.

"You know, it took Draco a lot of liquid courage to say that to you." Pansy says as she lays Draco down on the couch. "He's quite the coward, isn't he?"

"Uh, yes. But he didn't really mean that." Hermione says. "Probably just drunk babbling."

"Uh huh, whatever helps you sleep at night, Granger." Pansy turns to face her. "Anyways, would you check up on Draco tomorrow morning? I've got classes."

"Sure, no problem." Yes problem. "I will."

"Brilliant, now I must really be off. Have some sleeping to do." Pansy says and as she walks to the elevator.

Hermione wonders what has happened and brings over a pillow and a blanket to Draco's apartment. You can't just leave a drunk lad to fend for himself, now can you? So she decides she'll just sleep on the other couch.

**OOO**

To say that Draco is absolutely terrified to find Hermione Granger sitting on the couch opposite him when he wakes up is an understatement. He cannot, for the life of him, remember anything last night, and there is a pounding in his head when he wakes up.

Distantly he thinks that his weekend is starting out rather interestingly, but outwardly he is projecting his vomit into the bathroom sink.

 _Yuck_.

He almost falls over twice on the way back to Hermione's couch-and yes, he's decided that it is _indeed_ her couch now as, you know, she's lying down there. And it probably smells like her now... and he probably won't ever let anyone else sit on even breathe in the direction of that sofa. It is hers now.

And as he rudely shakes Hermione awake, he ruefully thinks about all of the embarrassing things he must've done last night as she stirs awake and he is unpleasantly arrested and surprised by her fucking gorgeous brown eyes and _oh my God_ she yawns so cutely.

Draco feels rather feverish when he stands up straight again.

Hermione takes a second to look around her surroundings and the distress basically comes off of her in waves before she realizes that she is indeed just in Draco's flat and has not been kidnapped.

"Mind telling me why you are asleep on my couch?" Draco asks as his mind constantly berates him. _Her couch, Hers!_

 _Capital H_? He thinks ruefully. _God is indeed a woman. And Her name is_ _Hermione_ _Granger._

She looks at Draco like she's amused that he doesn't remember last night's antics, and then he notices a mischievous glint in her eye. "We shagged last night Draco."

Draco's eyes practically bulge out because what in the actual fuck-and then Hermione just laughs and Draco is dizzy because he is standing upright and his head is pounding and the lights are so damn bright they're hurting his eyeballs and Hermione Granger's laugh is probably the one thing he would want to listen to for all of his life, really and-"I'm only joking, no we didn't fuck but you were quite hammered last night so I decided to stay here after you basically broke down my door and interrupted my sleep."

Although she looks amused, Draco feels horrified and feels like he's about to drown in his own sick. Of all the things he could've done while he was drunk, why did it have to be defiling Hermione's sleep schedule. He could've defiled her and that would have been lest mortifying.

Or maybe he would've liked defiling her, because... _well_.

"Don't look so horrified. It's totally fine. You just woke me up and uh..." he can see how her hands fidget, indicating that she's nervous and also indicating that's he's been staring at her too much because how would he know that, "passed out in the hallway."

It also seems to indicate that she's leaving something out. So Draco grounds his heel to the ground and says, "Well, what else?" in the snobby entitled way he always does.

Hermione glares at him and says, "You know, ignorance is bliss."

"I don't do well with bliss." Draco hisses. "Unless it's sex, then I do do well at bliss. Very well."

Hermione blushes and looks like she's about to set him on fire, which he wouldn't put past her, honestly. Her eyes are blazing, and he can feel his dick get hard. Damn her for being so hot, all day everyday every fucking second of every fucking hour. Damn. Her.

"Well, if you _must_ know," she says, and inwardly, Draco says to himself that the swotty know-it-all is a swot, "before you passed out in the hallways you actually declared your undying love for me. It was quite funny really, but seeing as you didn't mean it I refused to tell you about it--"

"God, God _what_ -what the fuck did I do?" Oh my God that's so embarrassing. Draco might actually pee his pants now, dear dear dear Lord.

Hermione is mute and looks rather put out. He figures that she doesn't like that he looks like he regrets telling her all those things because most people do really, but Draco is still too horrified to make an apology, which he feels terribly about because this is probably not all about him, but before he knows it she is standing up rather abruptly and he can only stare at her as she gathers her things.

And then she glares at him.

And then she opens the door.

And then she slams it shut as she leaves.

God, what the fuck has he done

**OOO**

"Pansy, stop laughing at me!" Draco all but moans, but Pansy is not letting up. She absolutely cackles and then Draco glares at her like he wants to crush her mouth into a singularity. And, to add salt to his gaping wounds, he notices that Hermione is absent from the cafe today. Talk about _avoiding her problems._

"It's not funny. She glared at me like she wanted me to die and slammed the door on my face. _My door_ in _my face_." He put his head in his hands and shakes his head. "Oh my God, I'm gonna cry."

Pansy is now visibly holding in her laughter as she moves to comfort Draco, "Oh, come on, now. She can't be that mad at you!" Pansy takes one of Draco's hands and pet's them, while Draco's free hand moves to his chin. Pansy catalogues in her mind that Draco is just being a drama queen, honestly. She was a spoiled brat but this is just some next level shit. "Just apologize to her, and while you're at it maybe you can even, I don't know, admit that you like her! That might make things easier on you."

Draco snatches his hand back like he's been burned and crosses his arms like a little bitch. Pansy just laughs again as he growls at her. "Stop laughing! I've effectively made her hate me again."

"Tell you what, Draco. I've given you plenty of chances to woe Granger and none of them seem to work because she is _clearly_ not susceptible to your dumb charm so I will just tell you _straight up_ that _you_ are being a dumbass because she _actually seems to genuinely like you too_!" Pansy sighs then, and closes her eyes. _Bliss, absolute inner peace._ "The truth feels so good when it actually comes out doesn't it."

"She likes me back?" Draco actually sneers and Pansy sighs again, though this time it comes out more of a frustrated goat noise. "Don't be so ridiculous, Pansy. She obviously does not."

"Except for the fact that she _obviously_ does." And then an alarm on Pansy's phone sounds, and when she checks it she looks positively annoyed. "Ugh, time for my damn class." She looks at Draco's forlorn expression and sighs again. Distantly, she thinks that she's been sighing a lot. And she isn't even having sex.

"Look, even if you don't wanna believe it, I, along with the rest of the cafe regulars, possibly the entire university and maybe even the _whole entire fucking world_ , know that Hermione Granger likes you and there's a big possibility that you guys will make babies and grow old together if you'd only be so kind to yourself and apologize instead of—" she glances down at the sad, rather depressing looking Draco Malfoy in front of her and throws a fry at him.

"Hey!" He says, annoyed, as he takes the fry off his person and shoves it into his mouth.

"—instead of bloody _brooding_!"

"I do not _brood!_ " Draco exclaims, but she was already out the door.

**OOO**

Draco would usually never apologize. Never ever in his _entire_ life would he _ever_ apologize, as it's just not something he was taught to ever do. He was taught to take, and when he couldn't, he was taught to bribe. And when he ever made a mistake, he was taught to _pay_.

Apologizing just wasn't in his vocabulary.

So even he surprised himself when he found himself standing in front of Hermione Granger's apartment door at six in the evening with a gigantic sleeve of M&M candies—which he noticed were her favorites when he caught her snacking on them from time to time—and a bottle of apple juice—which he noticed she liked drinking from time to time.

And let it not be said that he was seriously considering backing out, like a chicken. Like a blonde and impossibly pale chicken. And he thought about it, like when he was paying for the disgusting amount of M&M's he had bought, or when he was walking towards their apartment complex. But considering if he was backing out, he would have to eat all of the chocolates on his own and drink the blasted apple juice he had bought, he decided he wouldn't. Because some things seemed to pathetic to do, even for him.

He inhales deeply, and knocks on Hermione's door.

He hears the _thump thump thump_ of her footsteps before she opens the door, and to his great surprise, it looks like she was crying. Her eyes were puffy and red and her cheeks were all splotchy.

She groans and rolls her eyes, crossing her arms and looking at him with the utmost amount of loathing, making him reevaluate why he was even there in the first place. "What do you want, Malfoy?" she asks. "I'm a bit busy and I'm really not in the mood for your antics."

"I just," he slumps, because this was not the reaction he was intending to receive. "Have—have you been crying?"

She actually vibrates with anger, and he knows at that moment that he should've just stayed at home and forgot all about Hermione Granger and her stupid fucking curls. "Never mind if I've been crying or not, because it's really none of your business." 

"Well, um... I just wanted to," he inhales. He wants to go back to his room, slip under his ridiculously expensive covers and, quite pathetically, cry himself to sleep. She does not want to see him, and his world is quite possibly ending.

"I just wanted to apologize for how I reacted earlier. I, uh—" he pulls up the sleeve of M&M's and apple juice he had bought for her, and almost grins when her eyes light up at the sight of the candies. "I bought you these, to, y'know, compensate and—"

"That's very thoughtful of you, Malfoy." she cuts him off and he offers the candies and juice with a smile. She accepts them gratefully, and puts them on the table next to her door. "But you really didn't have to do all... all that. An apology would have been fine."

"Well, there's also something else I wanted to tell you, if you don't mind." he says, and Hermione gestures for him to come in. And makes him sit on the couch. His heart jumps, he has never been inside her apartment before, obviously, but it's also the knowledge that he is _in her apartment_ and his heart skips some beats.

Hermione looks at him earnestly, and he might just die if she continues to look at him like that because her eyes are so round and so pretty and he could stare at them all day.

"Well, I meant what I said earlier... that I liked you." he started. This is probably the bravest thing he will ever do in his life. And if the proverbial shit hit the fan, he would blame Pansy and forgot this whole thing happened or something.

But shit hasn't hit the fan yet, and Hermione is looking at him like she can't believe what she's hearing. He can't tell if that meant that she was pleased or if it meant that she didn't like where this was going. Either way, he kind of feels like he's drowning.

"I really like you, if you haven't noticed." In his mind, she thinks she probably has because he hasn't been exactly subtle with it all, hasn't he? In fact, if he could be even more unsubtle, he would probably just be screaming that he likes her all day. Which he's not opposed to doing, given the correct motivation, but still. It's the thought that counts. "And maybe I'm not in love with you or anything, but I really like you and I'd like to sit with you at the library, and get coffee at the cafe. Just the two of us, if... if you'd have me."

He sniffs. "And I’m well aware that in the past I've kind of been shit to you, and it might not seem like it but I was only doing all that to get your attention." He stops and stills at the expression that she's giving her. She looks more surprised than she did before, and he feels the low sinking feeling of rejection seeping into his bloodstream. He purses his lips and shakes his head and looks down.

He swallows down the choking sensation in his throat, and Hermione is still staring at him like she can’t believe what she’s hearing and Draco wonders if he should leave now and just never look at her again. 

There is an awkward silence, and Hermione is coming towards him with a grin. And, faster than he can comprehend it, she sits down on his lap and starts shamelessly snogging him.

 _Oh,_ he thinks, _he totally misread that, didn't he?_ He smiles into the kiss, and Hermione pulls back and holds his face in her hands. He puts his arms around her waist, and she gives him this fucking _beautiful_ face eating grin. 

"I like you too, you prat." she says and laughs. "I really like you."

Draco doesn't leave her apartment for the whole weekend.

The end.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Black, Two Sugars](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27415585) by [lookoutlovers22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookoutlovers22/pseuds/lookoutlovers22)




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